Buckle up, kids! We’re taking a quick ride into the wide blue yonder! That’s right, if you are bored with or “have the blues” about blue, you’ll need to turn that frown upside down and consider the electrifying possibilities of this heavenly color.

From pale delphiniums to rich azures and deep indigos, beautiful blue elevates, expands and envelops while energizing and calming. Just like the color green, blue is a constant in our lives — it is the color of the sea and sky — regenerative and renewing.

Our English word blue originated from the Germanic blao, which meant pale and wan, and the Old French term bleu, which meant pallid. For centuries items that were tinted or dyed blue were considered rare and expensive as the color was derived from the precious mineral lapis lazuli. Blue is a “cool” color and when properly used should never feel “cold.” However it can serve to visually chill a space down if needed. A pale blue porch ceiling feels awfully nice overhead on a sweltering summer day. When applied in a north-facing room, it is important that the shade have plenty of warmth to it so as not to appear depressing and gloomy.

Like most colors, I consider blue a neutral. Think blue jeans — you’ll pair them with just about anything, right? A touch of the dramatic shade gives the eye a place to land and rest for a moment – it’s like pumping oxygen into a space – and certainly has me singing the blues!